Scion of a dynasty of kabuki actors who followed in their footsteps with distinction and made efforts to modernise the art form

Kanzaburo Nakamura was a distinguished actor in the Japanese kabuki theatre,
the traditions of which he sought to uphold even as he strove to modernise
the art form in order to reach new and younger audiences. His work won
recognition both at home and abroad.

His real name was Noriaki Namino. Like many kabuki actors he was born into a
long-established stage family — his father was Kanzaburo Nakamura XVII — and
he made his acting debut in 1959 at the age of 3, playing the folk hero
Momotaro (“Peach Boy”). He acted originally under the name of Kankuro
Nakamura, switching to